Nvidia (NVDA) Stock: Trump Administration Reviews H200 AI Chip Sales to China

TLDR

• Trump administration launched inter-agency review of license applications for Nvidia H200 chip sales to China
• Commerce Department sent applications to State, Energy, and Defense Departments for 30-day review process
• Sales would include 25% government fee and mark reversal from Biden-era export restrictions
• H200 chips are Nvidia’s second-most powerful AI chips, never previously allowed in China
• Initial Chinese orders already exceeded current H200 production capacity according to last week’s reports

The Trump administration has started an official review process that could greenlight the first-ever shipments of Nvidia’s H200 AI chips to China. The Commerce Department has distributed license applications to multiple federal agencies for evaluation.

NVIDIA Corporation, NVDA

Five sources confirmed that applications have reached the State, Energy, and Defense Departments. Each agency has 30 days to provide input under current export regulations.

An administration official said the review would be thorough and “not some perfunctory box we are checking.” The final decision rests with President Trump regardless of agency recommendations.

The move follows Trump’s announcement earlier this month that he would permit H200 chip sales with a 25% government fee attached. The administration argues this strategy keeps U.S. chipmakers ahead by reducing demand for Chinese-made alternatives.

Policy Shift From Previous Restrictions

The Biden administration had blocked advanced AI chip sales to China and potential smuggling conduit countries. Those restrictions cited national security concerns about military applications.

Trump’s current stance reverses his first-term approach when he aggressively restricted Chinese access to U.S. technology. His previous administration cited intellectual property theft concerns and military technology risks.

White House AI czar David Sacks now leads the argument that selling advanced chips actually discourages Chinese competitors like Huawei from developing rival designs. This reasoning supports allowing Nvidia and AMD chip exports.

The H200 chips run slower than Nvidia’s flagship Blackwell series on many AI tasks. However, they remain widely used across the industry and represent the company’s second-most powerful offering.

Market Response and Production Plans

Trump initially considered allowing less-advanced Blackwell chip variants before settling on H200 approval instead. The H200 serves as the immediate predecessor to current Blackwell models.

Reuters reported last week that Nvidia was evaluating increased H200 production. Initial Chinese orders have already surpassed existing manufacturing capacity.

Critics across the political spectrum have opposed the sales. Chris McGuire, former White House National Security Council official under Biden, called the chips “the one thing holding China back in AI.”

McGuire questioned whether federal agencies could certify that exports serve U.S. national security interests. He described potential large-scale shipments as a strategic error.

The Commerce Department and Nvidia have not responded to requests for comment on the review process. A White House spokesperson stated the administration remains committed to American tech dominance without compromising national security.

Questions remain about whether Beijing will allow Chinese companies to purchase the Nvidia chips if approved. The inter-agency review marks the first reported step toward potential sales authorization.

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